Haiti’s National Police are facing intense scrutiny and public criticism following a brutal gang attack in Kenscoff, a farming community in the hills near Port-au-Prince. The assault, which occurred late Sunday, resulted in 47 deaths and the kidnapping of more than 50 people. As the nation grapples with the aftermath, authorities have struggled to address public demands for accountability regarding their failure to prevent the violence.
During a news conference on Thursday, police spokesperson Garry Desrosiers took only a limited number of questions from journalists. When asked about the government's strategy for securing the release of those kidnapped, Desrosiers declined to provide details, stating, “We cannot talk about any plans.” He further noted that a gang leader has threatened to execute all hostages if police kill any gang members during efforts to secure Kenscoff.
Desrosiers offered condolences to those affected by the violence but remained vague when asked if intelligence had been gathered prior to the attack, responding only that authorities are working on intelligence collection. He also confirmed that police are aware of threats against the neighborhood of Tabarre, where the U.S. embassy is located, but stated he was not in a position to provide detailed information.
Vladimir Paraison, the head of Haiti’s National Police, did not attend the briefing. He has previously defended security measures in Kenscoff and stated that an investigation is underway to determine if the attack occurred due to negligence or complicity. According to the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, security operations had managed to reduce violence in Kenscoff by 66% between January and August prior to the Sunday attack.
The U.N. International Organization for Migration reports that more than 2,600 people have been displaced by the recent violence, though Desrosiers provided no specifics on how police are assisting them.
Amid the ongoing instability, the United States conducted another deportation flight on Thursday. The flight arrived in the northern city of Cap-Haitien because the main international airport in Port-au-Prince is deemed too dangerous. Among the more than 50 people on board were two young children, according to Kerlande Desauguste of Haiti’s National Office of Migration.
One deportee, a professional boxer named Jay Dabelus, stated he was born in the Bahamas and had lived in the United States for over 20 years before being detained. “I don’t have any resources, family members or people to aid me,” Dabelus said.
Guerline Jozef, executive director of the U.S.-based humanitarian group Haitian Bridge Alliance, criticized the deportations, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the safety of Haitians in Haiti and those being returned to a country where the government cannot currently guarantee their protection.” This was the second deportation flight since Temporary Protected Status ended for approximately 350,000 Haitians in the U.S., following an August 20 flight that carried more than 160 people.
According to U.N. statistics, gang violence has displaced nearly 1.5 million people across Haiti, with more than 3,050 people reported killed between January and June. Armed groups currently control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and significant areas in the central region.
Like previous deportees, the ones who arrived on Thursday covered their faces for safety.
Associated Press reporter Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.
